Tiering machine



April 10, 1928.

1,665,680 B.'STOCKFLETH ET AL TIERING MACHINE Filed Febfl), 1925 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Q5 18 mmml April 10, 1928. 1,665,680

B. STOCKFLETH ET AL TIERING MACHINE Filed Feb.9, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 2TIERING MACHINE April 10, '1928.

B. STOCKFLETH ET AL April 10, 1928. 1,655,680 B. STOCKFLETH ET ALTIERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 as 59 5/ 5/ ,J8

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,665,680 PATENT OFFICE.

BERGER STOCKFLE'IH, OF BERRIEN SPRINGS, AND FREDERICK W. BURGER, OFNILES,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO CLARK TRUCIRACTOR COMPANY, OF BUCHANAN, MICH-IGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

'IIERING MACHINE.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial N0.'7,947..

Our invention relates to portable elevating apparatus or tieringmachines of the gen eral type shown and described in our pendingapplication, Serial No. 711,822, filed May S, 1924:, in which theelevating apparatus is carried on a supplemental frame detach-ablyconnected with the frame of a motor vehicle such as a shop tractor, saidsupplemental frame being supported on wheels so that the load issustained by such wheels, and being capable of moving verticallyindependently of the tractor frame. The elevating or hoistingdevices'are actuated by power derived from the motor that propels thetractor. The object of our present invention is to provide an improvedtiering machine in which the above-mentioned characteristic features ofthe machine of our said application are retained, but in improved form,and also to provide certaln other improvements by which the elevatingapparatus will be made to operate with a greater degree of efficiencyand by which also the machine as a whole will be better adapted tomeetthe requirements of the uses to which it may be put. We accomplishour object as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and ashereinafter described. 'What we regard as new is set forth in theclaims.

la the accompanying drawings,-

F 1 is a side elevation of our improved elevating apparatus applied to ashop tractor, the rear portion of the tractor being omitted Fig. 2 is aView partly in plan and partly in section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section on line of Fig. 1;

Fig. at is a partial vertical section on line 4i of Fig. 2, some partsbeing broken away;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line of Fig. 4, looking up;

Fig. (5 is an end view, in section; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the course of the hoistingchains.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings our improved elevating apparatus is designed to be applied toand operated by a motor vehicle in the form or a small shop tractor 8comprising some parts being a frame 9 mounted on dirigible andpropelling wheels substantially as shown and described in our saidpending application. The propelling wheels are not illustrated, but itwill be understood that they are preferably of the usual type employedin connection with motor vehicles, arranged to be driven by a propellershaft through suitable ditl'erential gearing. Mounted on the frame 9 isthe usual motor A, preferably of the internal combustion type, which,through suitable intermediate gearing, is arranged to drive thepropelling wheels in either direction. Said motor is; also arranged todrive a power take-off shaft 10 telescopically connected with suitablepower transmission devices contained in a housing 11 shown in Fig. 1.The arrangements for this purposeare preferably those shown anddescribed in our application of even date herewith for improvements inshop tractors, and'for the purposes of our present application it willsuffice to say that the shaft 10 is telescopically connected with saidtransmission devices, and may be disconnected therefrom by drawing itforward out of the housing 11. The transmission mechanism is containedin a casing or .hood 12 on which is placed the operatorsseat 13. A lever14 is provided for controlling the operation of the take-off shaft 10 bythe motor A, as described in our said shop tractor application. i

The front of the tractor is supported on one or more dirigible wheels 15mounted centrally under the tractor frame and arranged to be steered bya steering wheel 16 carried by a steering column 17 that is connectedwith the dirigible wheel in any suitable way. At the front of thetractor frame an upright curved plate 18 is provided that serves notonly as a dashboard but also as a head or abutment by which the tractormay be employed to push loads when the elevating apparatus isdisconnected therefrom.

Our improved elevating apparatus, with which our present application ismore immediately concerned, comprises a substantially U-shaped yoke orsupplemental frame 19 having side arms 20, 21 that extend along side thetractor frame 9 at opposite sides thereof, as best shown in Fig. 2, andare detachably connected therewith by springs 22, and bolts 24, 25,-respectively. I By withdrawing; the-bolts 24, 25 the supplemental frame19 may be disconnected from .the. tractor frame leaving the. tractor inconditionjfor, other 1 uses. Thesiipplemental frame '19 is supported onits own wheels 26,v 27, which are mounted in the manner of cas-' terwheels at opposite sides of-- they-front l0 portion of the supplementalframe and preferably slightly in advanceuof the dirigible wheel 15. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 6, said Wheels- 26, 27 are mounted in yokes*28 hav-"ing upright: spindles that are-'jounnaled in' 1 suitable bearingsmounted insleeves 29, 30, preferably integral with the supplemental lframe 19, as illustrated in- Fig. 6. "The i-Whee1S *26,27, therefore areadapted toturn about vertical axes to conform to changes in direetion ofthe travel ofthe-tractor. 1 Also,-

;%the supplementalframe 19 is free to move cup and; down independentlyof the tractor framegsubjectsto therestraintafforded by thesprings 22,23. The hoisting mechanism, all of whichis mounted on' this supplementalframe so that (its weight is carried on the 1 wheels 26, 27,;wil'l nowbe -described.

mSeoured tothe central curved portion of the supplemental frame 19 isan-upright 3o'curved plate: 31 that is-'- made sufficiently wheavy towithstand the'strains to which it is subjected, and is firmly secured inplace, preferably by providing thefname 19'with flanges 32-,:33, 34-atits upper and lower marginsfihe galplateiiil being riveted to saidflanges, as e 4 shown in Figs; 2 and6. To the-central part ofthe plate-31'.is firmly seouredanI-beam 35,the. lower end wot-which terminates ashort distance :abovethe supplemental frame 2 19, as shown a t 36 inFig. 4, while its upper rend extends to the top of an elevator framehereinafter described. Extending idownward from the lower endfof-the-I-beam 35 is another I=beam f37 that forms a downwardcontinuation of the I-beam 35, but asishown ,in Fig. 4 said I-beam 37isfcut away-lat the rrearto accommodate the;central portion of,the.frame119, and its front surfaceis ininclinedrearwandly,toward;itswlower end, as

5QnllldlGated at 38 in Fig, 4. The I-beam exv, tension 37 terminatesaishort distance above theground. Theibeam 37 isfirinlyvsecured tor thelower-portion of the plate 31 byirivets 39'thatipass through'lears 40 atthe opposite ,,sides of .-said beam, asshown in Fig 6.

Alsosupported by the plate-31 is anveleva- 1 tor frame comprisingvtwoioppositelydis posed channel beams 41, 42, said ibeams bei ngdisposed ivertioallyi withqtheir channels I 6 mnrtheiinsideyasbestishowniin Figl- 2,;and

they are; firmly supported by bracing plates A3, 44 by which-they areattached to ;the 7 :plate 31, asishown in said figure. illhe lowermQHdS. of the beams 41,42 are also secured directly to the supplemental;:frame 19 i by 4 be ing riveted to flanges 45, 46 that project for-;ward from :said frame at. opposite sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 6.

The upper end portions of the channel beams .41, 42 are cross-connectedat the front and rear respectively by angle bars 47, 48 and vgussetlplates49, 50 that brace the parts together, as shown'in Fig. 5, fromwhich it w'W-lll ,be seen that the upper end of the I- beain is alsosecured to the cross-bar 48. The sbars 47, 48 are also connectedtogether near their ends by flat bars 51, 52 that extend over *the:upper ends of the channel -:b.eains 41, 42,asxbest'shown in Fig: 5. (Bythis construction we provide a very strong and rig id elevator frame forsupporting the operating parts of the hoisting apparatus.

Mounted at the upper end of the elevator frame is a't ransverseshaft 53that extends through verticalslots 54 in the channel beams 4li 42, asshown in Fig. 5,and is supported 'by hangers or U-bolts 55,:561securedto the bars 51, 52, respectively, so that they depend therefrom in the'channelsibf the channel beams 141, 42; as bBSt! shown iirFigs. 5-and 6.IThe arrangement is such that the shaft 53 is supported ashort distancebelow the bars 51, 52"sothat by adjustingthe hangers 55,56-verticallyweither endJofthe "shaft 58inay bevertically"adjustedindepende'ntlyof the other. The verticalaadjustment'ofasaid hangersmay be made by means of nuts 57 screwed onthe upper ends1 thereof above theplates- 51 52, as shown-in F igs. 4 and 6. 'F Thepurpose ofprovid-ingfor this adjustment-of thesh-aft-53 will behereinafter explained.

'As best shownin F igs; 5 and 6, theend portions of the shaft 53extend'somedistance 1 beyond the channel beams, 51, 52,, and

upondthe projectingend portions of; said shaft are loosely mountedsheaves '58, 5%), each ofwhich is v double, that is. to say, each sheaveis providedwith two channels "60, '61 toreceive the hoistingicha-ins.The channelsof said sheaves are suitably shaped to receive and engagethe links of the hoisting chains so as to prevent slipp'age thereof,asbestshownat the leftin Fig. 6. The 1 end portions of the shaft 53 areprovided witlroil ducts 62 thatcommunicatethrough passagesi63 with-theperipheral portions of said shaftuponwhich' the sheaves 58, 5S) bear, sothat said bearing surfaces may be A properlylubricated,*and-to'that endthe bnds of the shaft are equipped with oil cups 64 fol-supplyinglubricant to the ducts 62. Preferably shields or housings 65 areinountedxon'the end portions of-the shaft over the sheaves 58, 59, as shown inFigs. 5 and G. From:thewforegoing' description it will be seenthat-:the-cha-nnel beams 41, 42 constitute guide railsat oppositesides'of-the elevator fr'a-me disposed below the shaft and thesheavesimounted:thereon; and Ithati the I beam 35 constitutes a centralor intern'iediate guide rail that is supported in fixed relation to theother two guide rails. These guide rails are designed to guide atraveling carriage arranged to move vertically on the elevator frame,and to tilt about a transverse axis, as will now be described.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and a the carriage comprises a frame 66somewhat longer than the distance between the guide rails all, 42 andprovided at its upper margin with upwardly and rearwardly projectingarms 67, 68 in which is journaled a shaft (39 having mounted on its endsrollers Tl), 71, as best shown in Figs. 8 and (3. These rollers areadapted to run in the channels of the guide railssl. l2 and they areprovided with flanges T2, 73 which serve to keep the shaft 69 andconsequently the frame 66 in the proper position. The frame 66 alsocarries an intermediate roller T l having flanges T5, T6 at its oppositemargins, as shown in Fig. 3, which roller is mounted upon a shaft 77supported by the frame (36 in such position that said roller is adaptedto run on the front face of the intermediate guide rail 35, as shown inFigs. 2 and l. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the roller 74 is located aconsiderable distance below the rollers 70, 71. and its axis normallylies slightly forward of the transverse vertical plane of the axis ofthe shaft 69 that carries the rollers 70 71. Thus the carriage isnormally held. against tilting about a transverse axis. This conditionobtains at all times except when the carriage descends far enough sothat the roller 74:

rides upon the inclined portion 38 of the in' termediate guide rail 35,as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. In the latter circumstance theweight of the carriage 'and its load, if any, will cause said carriageto tilt about a transverse axis, since the inclination of the inclinedportion 88 will permit the roller T l to move rearwardly with referenceto the rollers 70, 71. The carriage carries a load carrying memberpreferably comprising a platform or table 78. supported onforwardly-extending arms 79 having upright members 80 that are firmlysecured in recesses 81 provided at the front of the frame of thecarriage, and secured by bolts 82,

as shown in Fig. 3. The arms 79 are so shaped that when the carriage isin its normal position, that is to say, any position above the inclinedportion 38 of the guide rail 35, the platform 78 will incline downwardslightly toward the rear, to guard against its allowing the load to slipoff, and the purpose of providing the inclined portion 38 is to permitthe carriage 66 to tilt when it is in its loading position so that theplatform 7 8 will then assume a horizontal position, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. st, thereby making it easier to deposit the loadthereon, since then a vehicle such as a lift truck may be Wheeled overthe platform and its load deposited directly thereon without its beingnecessary to perform that work manually. lVhen the carriage is hoistedhigh enough so that the roller 7st passes above the inclined portion 88of the guide rail the platform again assumes its inclined position. asshown in full lines in Fig. 4:.

The carriage is raised or lowered by means of hoisting chains, orequivalent devices, 83,

84, best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The chains 83 are connected at one endwith the end portions of the carriage, as by swivels 85, 86, and runover the outer grooves of the sheaves 58, 59 respectively, theiropposite ends being preferably connected with the elevator frame. asindicated at in Fig. 7. The slack incident to the vertical movement ofthe carriage may be permitted to hang loosely, as indicated in Fig. 7.By rotation of the sheaves 58, 59, therefore, the carriage may be raisedor lowered, as desired. Power is applied to said sheaves t0 rotate thesame by means of the hoisting chains 84, which are of the endless type,the upper bights of said chains running over the inner grooves of thesheaves 58, 59, while the lower bights thereof are looped around drivingsheaves 87, 88 carried by the hoisting shaft 89, shown in Figs. 2 and 6.Fig. 7 clearly illustrates the course of the chains 83, 8d at one sideof the machine, and it will be understood that the chains at the otherside thereof are similarly arranged. The purpose of pro viding forseparate vertical adjustment of the end portions of the shaft 53, onwhich, as previously explained, the sheaves 58, 59 are loosely mounted,is to take up any looseness due to stretching of the chains 84;, so thatsaid chains may be maintained taut around the driving sheaves 87, 88,and the sheaves 58, 59. Obviously by screwing the nuts 57 down on theirrespective U-bolts said bolts may be drawn up toward the bars 5]., 52 bywhich they are supported, thereby raising the shaft 53. Either of saidbolts may be adjusted independently of the other so that the propertension may be maintained on the two chains 84, notwithstanding the factthat they may stretch unequally.

The hoisting shaft 89 is mounted at one end in a suitable bearing 91carried by a standard 92 that rises from the frame 19 at one sidethereof, as shown in Fig. 6. and the opposite end of said shaft isnon-rotatably connected with a worm wheel 93 mounted in a housing 94. atthe opposite side of said frame. Said worm wheel meshes with a worm 95mounted in an extension 96 of the housing 94 and suitably supported onthe frame 19, as also shown in Fig. 6.

The Worm 95 is connected with a shaft 97 that extends rearwardly throughthe housing 96. as shown in Fig. 2, and is connected by a flexiblecoupling 98 with a shaft 99 that is inturn connected by a flexiblecoupling 100 with-the power takeoff shaft 10. By

this construction, therefore, the shaft 89 may be rotated in eitherdirection by power de rived from the motor, thereby driving the hoistingchainsin either direction and accordingly raising or lowering the loadsustaining carriage. The connections for d1-iving the hoisting shaft 89,fromthe tractor motor are not herein claimed, as devices of the samecharacter form a part of the sub ject-matter of our separate applicationof even date herewith for improvements in portable cranes.

so far as we are aware we are the first in the artvto providean'elevating ap mratus or tieringmachine of the type described, in

which provision is made for ad justingthe chains at opposite sides ofthe elevator frame either simultaneousl or )aratel so asitowmaintain thebight of said chains taut around the driving sheaves, and we alsobelieve ourselves to beithe first to provide for guiding and tiltingtheload-carry- =ployed.

ingplatform, or-equivalent support, in the manner described, so that itwill assume a v ator frame,' havingnoppositely vdisposed channeledguides, a carriage-movable vertically on said frame between said. guidesand having a load-carrying member, means running in saidguides and:pivotally connccting the a'transverse axis, flexible hoisting means forsaid carriage, and means between said guides for normally holding saidload carrying member against tilting, and foral lowing it to tiltwhen itapproachesits lowermost position.

A 'tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movablevertically on said frame and having a load-carrying member, meanspivotally connecting the end portions of said carriage with the frame totilt about a transverse axis, flexible hoisting means for said carriage,and guidingmeans located between the ends of the carriage andcooperating with said carriage as the same is moved vertically to tiltsaid load-carrying member.

= 2. In a tiering machine, the combination I with an elevator framecompris n carriage therewith totilt about:

end, of'a carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame and havingrollers operating on said. laterally-disposed guides, and a rollerlocated between and below said rollers and running on said intermediateguide, a f0rwardly-extending load-supporting member carried by saidcarriage, and flexible hoisting devices for said carriage.

4. In a tiering machine, the combination oppositely-disposed channeledguides and a guide rail between said guides, the lower end portion ofsaid guide rail being inclined rearwardly, of a carriage having rollersoperating in the channels of said guides and a member lo rated betweenand below said rollers and bearing on said guide rail, aforwardly-extending loadssupporting member carried by said carriage andflexible hoisting devices for said carriage.

5. A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lowerportion of said elevator frame at opposite sides thereof, means fordriving said sheaves, sheaves mounted atthe upper portion of theelevator frame over said driving sheaves, hoisting chains at oppositesides of the elevator frame, each of said chains extending over one ofthe upper sheaves and having abight extending around and operativelyengaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoistingchains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for verticallyadjusting said upper sheaves.

' 6 A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a. carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lowerportion of said elevatorframe at opposite sides thereof, means fordriving said sheaves, sheaves mounted at the upper portion of theelevator frame over said driving sheaves, hoisting chains at oppositesides of the elevatorframe, each of said chains extending over one ofthe upper sheaves and having a bight extending around and operativelyengaging one of the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoistingchains for moving the carriage vertically, and means for verticallyadjusting said upper sheaves independently ofeach other.

7.- A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lowerportion of said elevator fname at opposite sides thereof,-means fordriving'saidsheaves, a-shaft mounted at the upper portion of theelevator frame, sheaves loosely mounted, on the end portions of saidshaft over the driving sheaves, hoisting chains at opposite sides of theelevator frame, each of said chains extending over one of the uppersheaves and having a bight extending around and operatively engaging oneof the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains formoving the carriage vertically, and means for vertically adjusting saidshaft.

8. A tiering machine comprising an elevator frame, a carriage movablevertically on said elevator frame, driving sheaves mounted on the lowerportion of said elevator frame atopposite sides thereof, means fordriving said sheaves, a shaft mounted at the upper portion of theelevator frame, sheaves loosely mounted on the end portions of saidshaft over the driving sheaves, hoisting-chains at opposite sides of theelevatorframe, each of said chains extending over one of the uppersheaves and having a bight extending around and operatively engaging oneof the driving sheaves, means actuated by said hoisting chains formoving the carriage vertically, and means for separately verticallyadjusting the end portions of said shaft.

BERGER STOCKFLETH. FREDERICK W. BURGER.

